Gina McKee Joins Martin Freeman In Cast Of RICHARD III

Gina McKee (Di & Viv & Rose, King Lear, Ivanov, Our Friends In The North, Notting Hill) will play Queen Elizabeth, alongside the previously announced Martin Freeman (Clybourne Park, The Hobbit, Sherlock, Fargo) as Richard III in Jamie Lloyd's first production of his second season at Trafalgar Transformed, Richard III, running from 1 July to 27 September, with press night on 8 July.

In the aftermath of civil war, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, makes a hateful resolution to claw his way to political power at any cost. A master of manipulation, subtle wit and beguiling charm, he orchestrates his unlawful ascent by spinning a ruthless web of deceit and betrayal. His staunch ambition soon begins to weigh heavy, as the new ruler finds himself utterly alone and steeped in dread, forced to answer for his bloody deeds and face the horrifying consequences.

Additional casting includes Simon Coombs (Tyrrel), Philip Cumbus (Richmond), Gerald Kyd (Catesby), Paul Leonard (Stanley), Forbes Masson (Hastings), Paul McEwan (King Edward IV/Bishop of Ely), Mark Meadows (Clarence/Lord Mayor), Lauren O'Neil (Lady Anne), Maggie Steed (Queen Margaret) and Jo Stone-Fewings (Buckingham).

Design is by award-winning Soutra Gilmour, who previously collaborated with Jamie Lloyd on the first Trafalgar Transformed season. Lighting design is by Charles Balfour, with sound & music by Ben and Max Ringham and fights by Kate Waters.

Once again, the Trafalgar Transformed season will offer £15 Monday tickets for all productions, applicable on all seating within the theatre, further encouraging first-time theatregoers to experience the exciting programming at the venue. The production will be accompanied by a programme of Traf Extras, including fiery debates, post-show Q&As and rehearsed readings.

Martin Freeman was last on stage in 2010 in the critically acclaimed Clybourne Park at the Royal Court, directed by Dominic Cooke. Other stage credits include Kathy Burke's Kosher Harry, also at the Royal Court, and Blue Eyes and Heels by Toby Whithouse at Soho Theatre. On television, Martin played Tim in the original UK Comedy The Office for the BBC. He went on to play Dr Watson in the multi award-winning global smash hit series Sherlock, also for the BBC. Currently on Channel 4, Martin plays the lead role of Lester Nygaard, alongside Billy Bob Thornton, in the television adaptation of Fargo. On film, Martin has most recently played Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy for Peter Jackson and was also in last year's highly successful World's End for Edgar Wright and Sean Pegg. Other film credits include; Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Richard Curtis' world-wide hit, Love Actually.

Gina McKee was last on stage in Di and Viv and Rose at the Hampstead Theatre.

Gina has previously worked with Jamie Lloyd on the critically-acclaimed production of The Lover and The Collection at the Comedy Theatre in 2008. Other stage credits include her Olivier-nominated performance as Goneril in Michael Grandage's revival of King Lear at the Donmar Warehouse, alongside Derek Jacobi, Old Times, also at the Donmar Warehouse, Separate Tables at the Chichester Festival Theatre, Ivanov at the Wyndhams Theatre (for the Donmar Warehouse), The Exonerated at Riverside Studios, Aristocrats at the National Theatre, Five Kinds of Silence at the Lyric Hammersmith and Hammett's Apprentice at the Royal Court Upstairs. On television, Gina has received numerous BAFTA nominations for her roles in The Street 2, The Lost Prince, and Our Friends in the North, for which she won the Best Actress BAFTA. On film, Gina is best known for her portrayal of Bella in Notting Hill, alongside Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. Additional screen credits include Jimmy Picard, Atonement, Hebburn, Line of Duty, By Any Means, The Forsythe Saga, The Borgias, and Wonderland, for which she was nominated for Best Actress in the 1999 British Independent Film Awards.

Simon Coombs' stage credits include The El Train at Hoxton Hall, All My Sons and A Raisin In The Sun both at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, Othello & A Midsummer Night's Dream, both at the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, A Soldier In Every Son - An Aztec Trilogy, King John and Richard III all for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Emperor and Galilean at the National Theatre, Enron at the Noel Coward Theatre and on UK Tour and What Fatima Did at Hampstead Theatre. Simon's screen credits include The Doors, Sex and the Chippy, Holby City, Mouth to Mouth and Edge of Tomorrow.

Philip Cumbus' stage credits include Moon Tiger at the Theatre Royal, Bath and UK Tour, The Lightning Child, Macbeth, The Globe Mysteries, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo & Juliet, The Merchant of Venice and Love Labour's Lost (also on US Tour) at Shakespeare's Globe, The Norman Conquests at Liverpool Playhouse, 66 Books at the Bush Theatre, The Master Builder at the Chichester Festival Theatre, The Crucible at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, The Man Who Had All The Luck at the Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, A Month In The Country at the Salisbury Playhouse, The Duchess of Malfi at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, In Praise Of Love at Chichester Festival Theatre, Great Expectations for the RSC, The Fence at Birmingham Rep/UK Tour. Philip's screen credits include A Touch of Frost, My Hero, and Hope & Glory.

Gerald Kyd's stage credits include Little Black Book at Park Theatre, Children of the Sun, The Cherry Orchard, and Blood And Gifts at the National Theatre, 55 Days, and Revelations at the Hampstead Theatre, The Real Thing at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Years Between at the Royal Theatre, Northampton, This Much Is True at Theatre 503, The Three Musketeers at the Bristol Old Vic, Conversations In Havana at the Oran Mor Theatre, Edward II and Richard II at The Globe Theatre, Deathtrap on UK Tour, Love's Labour's Lost with the English Touring Theatre, Prophet In Exile at the Chelsea Centre, Ramayana at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and The Local Stigmatic at the Lyric Hammersmith Studio. Gerald's screen credits include Atlantis, Casualty, Brief Encounters, The Bible, The Midnight Beast, Persons Unknown, All In The Game, The New Professionals, Underworld, Legacy, The Defender, Tomb Raider II, and Principles of Lust.

Paul Leonard's stage credits include Richard III at the Savoy Theatre and RSC Stratford, Alice in Wonderland at the Barbican and RSC Stratford, Les Miserables original cast at the Barbican and Palace Theatre, The Merchant of Venice and The Water Babies at the Chichester Festival Theatre, The Original Chinese Conjurer at the Almeida Theatre, Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre, It's a Wonderful Life, A Chorus of Disapproval, The Day of the Triffids, A Mad World My Masters and Sweeney Todd at the Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, Relatively Speaking, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Neville's Island, Around the World in 80 Days, Titfield Thunderbolt, Perfect Pitch, The 39 Steps, A Chorus of Disapproval, Don't Dress for Dinner, The Beggar's Opera, Dick Barton and Lust at the Queens Theatre, Hornchurch, A Christmas Carol at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Browning Version, A Voyage Round My Father, Flarepath, Cowardy Custard, The Lady Vanishes, Dick Barton, Climbing the Wall, Green for Danger and Holiday Snap at the Southwold Theatre. Paul's screen credits include Gambit, Christmas Candle, Les Miserables, Ninja Assassins, Piercing Brightness, Coronation Street, Sherlock, Mr. Selfridge, Episodes, Dark Matters, The Bill, Perfect Strangers and Oliver Twist.

Forbes Masson was part of Jamie Lloyd's first season, playing Banquo in Macbeth, starring James McAvoy. His other stage credits include The Taming of the Shrew at the RSC Courtyard Theatre, RSC First Encounters on a UK Tour, and Ohio State University USA, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the 360 Theatre Kensington Gardens, Romeo & Juliet, and As You Like It for the RSC and RST, Roundhouse and New York, Morte D'Arthur, A Tender Thing, The Histories Cycle, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, Hamlet, and Macbeth at the RSC, King Lear at the Headlong, Everyman and Young Vic, The Breathing House, Art, Much Ado About Nothing, and STIFF at the Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, The Life of Stuff at the Donmar Warehouse, Endgame, The Trick is to Keep Breathing, Laurel and Hardy, Dumbstruck, The Real World, Cinzano, and Cinderella at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, and Lady in the Dark at the Scottish Opera. Forbes' screen credits include Gypsy Woman, The Green Man of Knowledge, Shetland, Dead Boss, EastEnders, Monarch of the Glen, Hamish Macbeth, No Holds Bard, The Creatives, Red Dwarf, Rab C Nesbitt, 49,000 Steps, The High Life, Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star, Paris, My Dead Dad, Taggart, and Victor and Barry Take the High Road.

Paul McEwan's stage credits include Man In The Middle, Decade, and The Night Before Christmas at Theatre 503, The Two-Character Play at the Jermyn Street Theatre and Provincetown Theatre USA, Isfahan Calling at the Old Red Lion, Kurtz at the Hampstead New End Theatre, The Woman in Black at the Madinat Theatre, Dubai, A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Richard II and La Lupa for the RSC, Romeo and Juliet at the Hull Truck Theatre, The Killing Floor at the Bridewell Theatre, The Duel at the Lyric Hammersmith, A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Three Musketeers at The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster. Paul's screen credits include Tied In Blood, Chain Male, Shadow Run, Peaky Blinders, WPC 56, Casualty, Doctors, Strictly Confidential, Dalziel & Pascoe, Holby City, The Echo, Clocking Off, The Secret Flight, Eternal Law, Emmerdale, Heartbeat and No Angels.